Chapter 630: Pacifying Sibao County (Thirty-Two) [Requesting Double Monthly Tickets]

The sun was high in the sky, the wind was gentle, and the night was perfect.

Camp, main tent.

As soon as you lift the tent flap, a wave of heat hits you.

Inside the tent, candlelight shone brightly, and voices filled the air.

A middle-aged, burly man sat imposingly in the main seat, his features sharply defined, his voice booming. He had a full beard, exuding an air of quiet authority. His piercing eyes seemed to flash with a sharp, cunning light.

His breathing was restrained, almost inaudible.

One glance was enough to tell that this man was a skilled and experienced martial artist. He had removed his upper armor and inner shirt, revealing half of his bare chest. His skin was dark brown, and his muscles were bulging, glistening with a smooth sheen in the candlelight. The temperature outside wasn't high, but he seemed completely oblivious to the cold, continuing to chat and laugh with his men while holding a wine cup.

Besides him, there were several other people sitting on either side of the tent.

But they weren't discussing how to attack the city; instead, they were discussing how to divide and manage the entire territory of Longwu County after taking it over, which forces to ally with, to watch out for each other, and who to keep their distance from, adopting a strategy of befriending distant powers while attacking nearby ones... The situation looked very promising.

The atmosphere was just right when someone mentioned "Zhang He".

The atmosphere inside the tent suddenly turned cold.

The middle-aged, burly man sitting in the main seat of the tent also turned cold and said unhappily, "Why bring up such an unlucky person on such a fine day?"

"...It was my slip of the tongue."

The person who said the wrong thing immediately came forward to apologize.

The middle-aged man waved his hand, choosing to let the matter drop.

His current situation is rather delicate, and it is precisely the time when he needs to win people's hearts. He doesn't want to damage relationships because of Zhang He.

at the same time.

Kang Shi also obtained enemy intelligence.

He skimmed through the text, letting out a sarcastic sneer: "So he's just a stray dog, driven out of his home and now running here trying to take over someone else's nest. Tsk, does this guy even know he's become Zhang Yongqing's pawn?"

Xianyu Jian asked in surprise: "The enemy is under Zhang Yongqing's command?"

He had a good impression of Zhang Yongqing, a doctor with a kind heart.

Unexpectedly, the other party would be the first to attack their own side.

Kang Shi shook his head: "Not really."

"Doesn't it count?"

Kang Shi raised his finger and pointed to the enemy's encampment.

"Our enemy this time is Zhang Yongqing's childhood classmate, surnamed Qian, named Yong, courtesy name Shuhe. The two studied under the same scholar in their youth and had a bond of friendship. However, this man's background is much better than Zhang Yongqing's, so compared to Zhang Yongqing's unsuccessful career, he is much more successful. He once served the Xin Kingdom and rose through the ranks based on his military merits. However, the Xin Kingdom was destroyed, and after several twists and turns, he was not given important positions. Finally, he sought refuge with his classmate and gained a foothold."

It's more accurate to say they were "attached" rather than "seeking refuge".

Qian Yong led his troops to help Zhang He defend his territory, and would send troops to fight alongside him when necessary. In return, Zhang He only needed to provide temporary accommodation and humanitarian aid. Compared to a master-servant relationship, their relationship was more like that of a parasite and a parasitic entity.

Mutually beneficial, each getting what they need.

Once Qian Yong has gained sufficient power, he can establish his own independent business.

In the future, I hope to watch over and help Zhang He.

Xianyu Jian was puzzled: "Judging from what the strategist said, Zhang He and Qian Yong are very close. Why do you say that Qian Yong is a stray dog ​​being chased away?" Sometimes classmates are even more reliable than blood relatives. Could it be that these two had a falling out in the end?

Kang Shi curled his lip and said, "Everyone has ambition."

Qian Yong felt his power growing stronger. Even in his youth, he had been proud of his privileged background and held a natural sense of superiority over Zhang He, who came from a less privileged background. Now, their positions were reversed, and he was the one relying on the other. These differences weren't apparent when he was down on his luck, but once Qian Yong's life stabilized, they were magnified, fueling his restless ambition.

In addition—

“Zhang Yongqing is a cunning fellow. How could he not see Qian Yong’s ambition? Don’t let his appearance fool you. He’s got a good plan. Whenever he goes into battle, he makes sure Qian Yong provides the men, subtly suppressing Qian Yong’s development… It would be strange if they didn’t part ways.” Kang Shi chuckled. “After all, not everyone can have the same deep bond as our lord and Duke Zhaode.”

Xianyu Jian: "..."

He was honest but not stupid; even the lord himself joked that if there were a March 15th crackdown on counterfeits, "Deep Affection Between Brothers" would be the first to be targeted.

Xianyu Jian: "So Zhang He fueled the fire?"

"It's pretty much a done deal..." Although Kang Shi thought Zhang He was not good-looking and not suitable to be his lord, he had still done background checks on him when he was choosing a lord. "In my guess, the two of them probably broke up in secret, but they couldn't make it public, lest someone with ulterior motives take advantage of the situation, so they reached this compromise. If Qian Yong wins, Zhang He gets rid of an ambitious burden; if Qian Yong loses, Zhang He kills two birds with one stone... Regardless of winning or losing, he benefits."

Kang Shi chuckled: "Perhaps the idea of ​​attacking Longwu County was secretly given to Qian Yong by Zhang Yongqing."

Yu Zi was quite indignant upon hearing this.

"I thought Zhang He was a good person..."

She paid close attention to the wounded soldiers' camp, and the wounded soldiers' biggest daily consumption was of herbs, many of which were sourced from Yi Ru. Because monopolizing the business was the most profitable, how much profit had Zhang He made over the years? How could he show no consideration whatsoever?

Xianyu Jian nodded in agreement: "Me too..."

The two sighed, feeling as if they had been deceived.

At this moment, a soldier came to deliver a message.

"Strategist, everything is in order."

Working in coordination with scouts, they precisely seized the opportunity to mix a sufficient amount of drugs into the enemy's water supply when the enemy's logistics personnel were drawing water. This water would then flow through underground waterways, becoming the enemy's drinking water. Because it was heavily diluted, the drugs wouldn't take effect immediately upon entering the body, and the effects wouldn't be as pronounced, but it would still be enough to impact the enemy's operations in the latter half of the night…

The timid starve, the bold thrive. That would be the perfect time for a night raid. Kang Shi weighed his options; his small force might be able to defeat Qian Yong's troops, but if he failed... being so close to Nanyu County, he could make a hasty retreat if things went wrong.

Sometimes, running away is the best option.

It was the dead of night.

It was the time when people were most sleepy, and many soldiers felt more tired than usual, but they didn't think much of it. They had followed their lord away from Lingzhou and traveled a long way to reach their future settlement. They were both mentally and physically exhausted, and sleep was the best way to recover. They found a place to lean against, closed their eyes, and soon fell asleep.

The soldiers on night patrol also yawned from time to time.

He still forced himself to stay alert.

The stronger one's abilities, the less affected they are by the herbs provided by Yu Zi; conversely, the weaker one's abilities, the greater the impact. The soldiers guarding the camp gates were all low-ranking nobles; though drowsy, they had no urge to lie down, only yawning repeatedly, their minds foggy, and their reactions slow…

At that moment, someone with sharp eyes spotted a shadow in the darkness.

"Who is it? Who comes here?"

In the darkness, the shadow said, "Night patrol."

"Where's the token?"

"here."

Upon closer inspection, the soldiers realized that the so-called shadows were actually a patrol of twenty-five men. In the heat of battle, personal hygiene was neglected, and most of them had dark complexions, making it difficult to discern their original features. At first glance, it seemed as if they all shared the same face.

"Hmm, the token is fine. Did the patrol find anything?"

"Found? Sigh, what found? We went around in circles and didn't see a soul. If it weren't for the cold weather, the brothers would have been sucked dry by the bugs." The speaker was a junior officer in the group.

"Sigh, we almost got frozen solid too."

After some casual conversation, they were allowed to pass. However, the patrol leader had only taken two steps when he was called back: "Wait—"

The patrol leader turned around and asked, "What happened?"

What happened to the blood on you?

The soldiers guarding the camp pointed behind the leader of the troops.

The blood had dried, the smell had dissipated, and the guard, overcome with drowsiness, had a less acute sense of smell than usual. But as the patrol leader turned to leave, he spotted the bloodstains in the bright moonlight. His mind instantly cleared, and he called out to stop them.

"Ah, this blood... it's from secretly hunting some wild game on the way here to satisfy our cravings. We've been so bored these days..." the patrol leader explained slowly, while secretly giving hand signals to his comrades, who exchanged glances.

Wild game?

The guards stepped forward to examine the situation more closely.

Unexpectedly, the patrol leader smiled wickedly, his gaze inadvertently sweeping over the crowd at the camp gate.

The guard had only taken two steps forward when a streak of white light flashed through the air with a slick movement. His vision blurred, and then with a few thuds, he and the other guards collapsed to the ground before they could even utter a sound.

"Quickly, do it!"

at the same time.

Kang Shi was about to give the order when he noticed something unusual about the firelight in the camp, which seemed to be spreading, and he paused in surprise.

"Who did it?"

He looked around.

"Who made the move first?"

_(:з」∠)_

It's heartbreaking. On New Year's Day, my grandfather had a persistent high fever, and Leather Jacket ended up in a newborn cot. He's the oldest and youngest in the family. My grandfather is elderly and the only elderly person in the family. Leather Jacket has a bad temper; he cries and screams at mealtimes, unable to wait even a moment, and the whole family is concerned for him. But in the ward, the nurses are limited, and with so many other children, how can he possibly get to eat first… Sigh…

I quickly ordered a nebulizer so that he could have nebulization therapy at home once his condition improved and he was able to come home for treatment (my dad was so angry that he didn't eat dinner at night because he couldn't see his leather jacket).

P.S.: Oxygen concentrators, pulse oximeters, nebulizers... it's frustrating to see prices skyrocketing one after another, and yet I can't even buy what I need.

(End of this chapter)